MK Avigdor Lieberman, who heads the Yisrael Beiteinu faction in the Knesset, predicted in a weekend interview that the right-of-center bloc will obtain a clear advantage over the left-of-center bloc in the coming elections. Speaking on Channel 2's Meet the Press, he said that Labor, Kadima and Meretz together would not receive more than 44 Knesset seats, leaving the field open for a right-of-center coalition.

Lieberman was reacting to a Ha'aretz/Dialogue poll quoted on the show which showed his Yisrael Beiteinu (Israel Our Home) party receiving 11 seats in the Knesset, while Shas and Labor garnered 10 seats each. According to that poll, Yisrael Beiteinu would be the third largest party in the Knesset, after Likud and Kadima, each of which would receive 31 seats. This would give what Lieberman terms "the left bloc" 46 seats, while Likud, Yisrael Beiteinu and Shas would get 52.

"Israel's behavior towards Egypt is like that of a battered woman who is always apologizing."

Shin Bet provocation?

Lieberman added that Likud and Kadima have both "learned the lessons from their big mistake," the Disengagement from Gaza in 2005, and that Kadima has also learned from its second mistake, the Second Lebanon War.

Lieberman also hinted that a Shin Bet (ISA) agent was responsible for recent remarks against the IDF made by a Hevron settler. The remarks were made last week in the course of the police's violent demolition of a farm belonging to Land of Israel activist Noam Federman and were widely broadcast and denounced.  "I listened to the shouts against the IDF soldiers and it reminded me of all kinds of 'Champagnes,'" Lieberman said. "I know the residents of Kiryat Arba and Hevron very well and I must say that I have not encountered such phenomena."



'Champagne' was the codename of Shin Bet agent provocateur Avishai Raviv, who carried out incitement at nationalist rallies which was then blamed by the media and politicians upon "the settlers." Raviv may have known about Yigal Amir's intention to assassinate then-Prime Minister Yitzchak Rabin in 1995. There is also evidence that Raviv dared Amir to carry out the murder. 

Lieberman added however that the people who cursed IDF soldiers should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

Egypt 'allowing smuggling'

The Russian émigré and former nightclub bouncer, whom pundits accuse of making incendiary remarks as part of a pre-election strategy to court right-leaning voters, also warned that Egypt is waiting for an opportunity to deploy its army in the Sinai Peninsula. The Sinai is supposed to be demilitarized, according to a 1978 peace treaty between Egypt and Israel. 

Lieberman went on to accuse Egypt of allowing the smuggling of arms into Gaza. "Egypt has over 1,000 km. of border with Libya and even a fly can't get through. If Egypt wanted to stop the smuggling into Gaza it would do so," he said.

"Israel's behavior towards Egypt is like that of a battered woman who is always apologizing," Lieberman added.

'Time to make order'

Regarding the Akko riots which began on Yom Kippur, Lieberman said: "It is clear to me that our main problem is not the Palestinians. The matter of the Israeli Arabs is highly charged and complex and we need to create some order. That is what the governments in Israel lack: someone who is willing to step up and make some order." 

"The state of Israel cannot accept a phenomenon like Sheikh Ra'ad Salah within its borders," he said, and noted Jordan refused to let Salah enter its territory.

Salah heads the northern Islamic Movement in Israel and has been tried and convicted of incitement in the past.